The SEO War art
Doing SEO as would the war, here's an idea that forces a smile and that queries simultaneously. We will not see here real military strategies, but those of SEO in a highly competitive and regulated environment by Google. Start in SEO is all the more difficult it is no experience on which to base models was. Indeed, although there are many sources of information through blogs, news sites, forums and communities, SEOs are progressing on their experiences. By definition they are different from each other and depend on two criteria: the external environment (the sector, the behavior of Internet users at a specific time, the technology available ...) and internal environment (your knowledge subject, the time you have to devote to it, your personal culture ...). As always the aim of this blog, I suggest those interested to ask some key questions that will allow them to adopt the strategy that suits them. The information in this article are inspired by Sun Tzu tests, "Art of War"
Choose the right strategy
This is one of the conclusions retain percepts of Sun Tzu, who will be for this article. We must first find all maneuvers and deploy your strategy wisely. Transposed to SEO, this is a strategic direction for your blog or site. I rely here on marketing analysis of Porter to offer the description of 6 kinds of strategies:
Competitive strategy
The first question to ask for your strategy, especially in e-commerce, is how you want to differentiate yourself from your competitors. Here are 3 possible answers: by the costs, with lower prices, through quality, with products or with higher added value services, or both by playing on the price and quality, with a hybrid strategy, which is possible, but probably more difficult.
Specialization strategy or niche
This is what is recommended all over the web for those who want to engage in e-commerce. Finding a niche is the assurance of being almost the only one capable of meeting a need. In fact it is more difficult, because with the increase in commercial sites, niches are becoming rarer. Also we see a new form to develop, of choosing a specialization within a niche.
Although I cite the example of e-commerce, this is also true for a content site or a blog. The only difference being that for a commercial site we think about its business, while for others their themes. For example, a blog on the topic of savings products (niche), devoted to the Livret A (specialization in niche). Or another on handbags (niche), respecting the environment (niche specialization). The risk: to be in a niche or specialization so small what this little opportunity. But I think you will of taken the time to make sure. In all cases, the strategies to follow can help distinguish you.
Innovation Strategy
The difference is subtle with the niche strategy. Innovation is of benefit to find a theme or a new activity within an existing environment. Most marketers recognize you as a market strategy Ansoff, "product development".
Diversification strategy
As the name suggests you can as well choose the opposite strategy to earlier, which is to expand your offer or your original proposal. A handle with care, however, not to confuse your positioning. This strategy is intended to sites with a few years of seniority.
Globalization strategy
Do not limit yourself to one country, but of many, and do not hesitate to go abroad. It is the goal of this strategy, this time for the most polyglot of us. The challenge will be to identify the behavior of foreign visitors.
Collaborative strategy
This one can help you with the previous strategy. It corresponds to a partnership with another site to jointly promote your activities. This strategy can be very effective when thinking win-win and intelligently. For the anecdote, Sun Tzu considered one of the most effective military strategies to "break the alliances" of its enemies.
Gauging competition
Once you decided strategic direction, it is time you tackle writing and creating information. You already know, you are not alone and will need to position your keywords. To choose the good, I lead you to a previous article, "How to choose the right keywords." Some of the work is to assess the intensity of competition keywords. To find those whose positioning will be difficult to obtain, but also the level of mastery of your competitors. For this you can analyze their back links, or make simple Google search with their name and see the results it emerges.
Sun Tzu identifies when it is right or wrong to attack an enemy according to its state and organization. He finally a simple and important conclusion: "If the opportunity presents itself, you can move forward; when things seem hard to you, retire. "
A matter of organization
Indeed, the art of your exercise and the success of your SEO will depend on your organization. Specifically, it is the organization of your:
statistics (access, speed of analysis and modification of the contents depending on the results)
Keywords (performance ranking)
back links (ranking)
social communities (response time, distribution regularity, voting shares)
The dashboards with key indicators, or KPIs Key Performance Indicator in English are required. Excel, Word, whatever your usual software, your SEO also passes by. But more than a year, this will be your regularity in this organization will make the difference, and allow meaningful analysis.
Sun Tzu also ensures that the organization is a question "layout and signals" (in the context of organizing troops into battle). He says that when troops are headed with "address", "it takes only little force to achieve much" (troops replace key indicators or KPIs for my meaning).
Conclusion
Get your site or blog will be a year in duration. It should be understood that this is not just choose keywords and write, although it is the central part. But before you get to write, thinking is to choose your general strategy, which will flow your themes, your content and your keywords. Acting this way is a good way to differentiate themselves from the competition, coupled with regularity in your actions.
On Google you will be in direct competition with your competitors. Any demonstration of your art will be made in choosing your strategy. The most aggressive are not always the most effective, attack your direct competitors is not recommended. As more like an old principle resonates like the world made by Sun Tzu, "he never saw a protracted war should profit to any country. ". The conclusion: choose other fields of expression, other issues, other themes, or done differently.
